History and Growth of Radio in India

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Dr. Ankuran Dutta
Head, Dept. of Communication & Journalism, Gauhati University, India
Managing Trustee, Dr. Anamika Ray Memorial Trust
Radio in India

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this presentation is dedicated to
Dr Anamika Ray
07 February 2017 © ARMT, 2017 [CC-BY-SA]:: http://armt.in 2

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Radio in India
• Radio in India: Timeline
• Public Service Broadcasting
• Private Commercial FM
• Educational Radio
• Community Radio

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Growth of Radio in India
• 13 years before AIR came into existence.
• In June 1923 the Radio Club of Bombay made the first
ever broadcast in India.
• Followed by the setting up of the Calcutta Radio Club
five months later.
• The Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) started on July
23, 1927.

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Growth of Radio in India
• April 1930, the Indian Broadcasting Service, under the
Department of Industries and Labour, commenced its
operations on an experimental basis.
• Lionel Fielden was appointed the first Controller of
Broadcasting in August 1935.
• A month later Akashvani Mysore, a private radio station
was set up.
• On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service
became All India Radio.

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Radio in India: 1920s
• June, 1923 : Broadcast by the Radio Club of Bombay.
• November, 1923 : Calcutta Radio Club put out
programmmes.
• July 31,1924 : Broadcasting Service initiated by the
Madras Presidency Radio Club.
• July 23,1927 : Indian Broadcast Company (IBC), Bombay
Station inaugurated by Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India.
• August 26,1927 : Calcutta Station of IBC inaugurated.

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• March 1, 1930 : IBC went into liquidation.
• April 1,1930 : Indian State Broadcasting Service under Department
of Industries and Labour commenced on experimental basis.
• March,1935 : Post of "Controller of Broadcast" instituted.
• August 30,1935 : Lionel Fielden appointed the first controller of
Broadcasting in India.
• Sept 10,1935 : Akashvani Mysore, a private radio station, set up.
• January 19,1936 : First news bulletin broadcast from AIR.
• June 8, 1936 : Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India
Radio.
• August 1,1937 : Central News Organisation came into existence.
• November,1937 : AIR came under Department of Communication.
• October 1,1939 : External Service started with Pushtu broadcast.

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• Oct 24,1941 : AIR came under the Department of I&B.
• Jan 1,1942 : Akashvani Mysore was taken over by Maharaja of Mysore.
• Feb 23,1946 : AIR came under the Dept of Info. & Arts.
• Sept 10,1946 : Department of Information and Arts changed to
Department of Information and Broadcasting.
• Aug 1947: Six Radio Stations in India (Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras,
Tiruchirapalli and Lucknow) and three Radio Stations in Pakistan
(Peshawar, Lahore and Dacca)
• Sept, 1948 : Central News Organisation (CNO) was split up into two
Divisions, News Service Division and External Service Division (ESD).

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• July 20,1952 : First National Programme of Music
broadcast from AIR.
• July 29,1953 : National Programme of Talks (English)
commenced from AIR.
• 1954 : First Radio Sangeet Sammelan held.
• August 15,1956 : National Programme of Play
commenced.
• October 3,1957 : Vividh Bharati Services started.
• November 1, 1959 : First TV Station in Delhi started as
part of AIR.

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Radio in India: 1960-70s
• November 1,1967 : Commercials on Vividh Bharati introduced
• July 21, 1969 : Yuva-Vani service started from Delhi.
• August 15, 1969 : 1000 KW Superpower Medium Wave
Transmitter commissioned at Calcutta (Mogra).
• 1970s
• January 8,1971 : 1000 KW Superpower Medium Wave
Transmitter commissioned at Rajkot.
• 1974 : Akashvani Annual Awards instituted.
• April 1, 1976 : Doordarshan separated from AIR.
• 1977 : Introduction of political party broadcasts.
• July 23, 1977 : First ever FM Service was inaugurated from
Madras

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• May,1983 : AIR Baroda became a CBS station.
• September 14,1984 : Two High Power 250 KW shortwave
transmitters inaugurated at Aligarh.
• October 30,1984 : First Local Station at Nagarcoil started.
• January 26,1985 : Commercials on Primary Channel introduced.
• August 15,1985 : Introduction of hourly news bulletins.
• 1985 : All AIR Stations were provided with 5 channel satellite
receiver terminals.
• May 18,1988 : Introduction of National Channel.
• April 8,1989 : Commissioning of Integrated North East Service.

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• March 2, 1990 : The 100th Station of AIR commissioned at Warangal (A.P.).
• March 10,1990 : Two 500 KW Superpower short wave transmitters Inaugurated at
Bangalore.
• January 10,1993 : Introduction of Phone-in-programme at AIR Delhi.
• April 1, 1993 : The150th Station of AIR inaugurated at Berhampur (Orissa)
• August 15,1993 : Introduction of selling of Time Slots on FM Channel to private
parties at Delhi - Mumbai.
• September 1,1993 : Time Slots on FM Channel to private parties at Chennai.
• April 1, 1994 : Sky Radio became operational.
• September 10,1994 : Multi Track Recording Studio commissioned at Mumbai.
• September 28,1994 : Four 500 KW Superpower shortwave transmitters at
Bangalore, inaugurated making Bangalore one of the biggest transmitting centres
in the world.
• January 15,1995 : Radio paging service inaugurated.

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• February 1,1996 : Foundation stone laid for new Broadcasting House in Delhi.
• May 2,1996 : Launching of AIR on-line Information Service on Internet.
• January 13,1997 : Audio in real time on Internet Service started.
• November 23,1997 : Prasar Bharati Corporation came into existence.
• January 26,1998 : Radio on Demand’ Service on 2nd FM Channel.
• February 25,1998 : AIR news on telephone, live on internet.
• April,1998 : Sale of Time Slots on FM stopped.
• August 29,1998 : Prasar Bharati Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on 31.7.1998 made operational
through an ordinance.
• June,1999 : Shri R.R.Shah, IAS, named officiating Member Executive. Private FM Channels
announced by GOI.
• August 15,1999 : Radio Station commissioned at Kokrajhar in Bodo Land Autonomous Council
Areas

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• June, 2000 : Community Radio Stations commissioned at Nongstoin & William Nagar
in (Meghalaya), Saiha (Mizoram), Tuensang and Mon in Nagaland.
• July 17,2000 : Regional Staff Training Institute (Tech.) started functioning at
Bhubaneshwar (Orissa)
• September 1, 2001 : AIR launched Infotainment channels, FM-II, at the four metro’s.,
Chennai, Delhi., Kolkata and Mumbai
• November 12, 2001 : This day declared as The Public Service Broadcasting day to
commemorate Gandhji’s visit to AIR. Museum of Radio and Doordarshan inaugurated.
• February 27, 2002 : AIR launched its first ever digital satellite home service to cater to
the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia.
• July 2002 : 75 years of Broadcasting celebrated
• April 2003 : Marketing Division of Prasar Bharati inaugurated.
• January 26th, 2004 : Bhasha Bharati channel of AIR launched at Delhi.

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• January 26th, 2004 : Classical Music channel launched at Bangalore.
• April 1st, 2004 : Launch of Kisan Vani Programme from 12 stations.
• December 16,2004 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated DTH Service of
AIR & Doordarshan. 12 AIR channels in different regional languages from various state
capitals made available countrywide through the KU Band on DTH platform of Prasar
Bharati.
• 23rd Aug, 2005 : New Broadcasting House equipped with digital studio setup for News
Service Division, External Service and Home Service inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister of
I&B and Culture.
• 15th & 16th Feb-06 : Commonwealth Broadcasting Association conference held at Delhi.
• 30th June, 2006 : Uplinking of DTH channel increased from 12 to 20.
• 2008 : Digital Captive Earth Stations at Leh, Varanasi, Rohtak and Aurangabad
commissioned. New uplink stations at Dehradun and Silchar under implementation.
• 2009: Computerization of AIR stations and offices in progress to facilitate online
exchange of information and improvement of efficiency.

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• 2010: An exclusive dedicated FM channel "AIR FM
DILLI" with one KW transmitter installed at AIR
Broadcasting House Delhi. This channel was available
on 100.1 MHZ in National Capital Region.
• 2011: FM Gold started 24 Hours Service from 2nd
October, 2011
• 2012: Bangladesh recognizes Akashvani for its
contribution in Bangladesh Liberation War on
27thMarch, 2012 at Dhaka. Sh. L. D. Mandloi, DG, AIR
received the award at a special ceremony in Dhaka.
• 2015: PM’s radio programme “Man ki Baat” started

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Public Service Broadcasting
• All India Radio is the Public Service Radio of India
• All India Radio (AIR) has been serving to inform,
educate and entertain the masses since it's inception.
• The motto of AIR is – ‘Bahujan Hitaya: Bahujan
Sukhaya’.
• To provide information, education and entertainment,
for promoting the welfare and happiness of the masses
(Bahujana Hitaya Bahujana Sukhaya).

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Objectives of AIR
• Uphold the unity of the country and the democratic values
enshrined in the constitution.
• Present a fair and balanced flow of information of
national, regional, local and international interest,
including contrasting views, without advocating any
opinion or ideology of its own.
• Promote the interest and concerns of the entire nation,
being mindful of the need for harmony and understanding
within the country and ensuring that the programmes
reflect the varied elements which make the composite
culture of India.
• Produce and transmit varied programmes designed to
awaken, inform, enlighten, educate, entertain and enrich
all sections of the people.

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Objectives of air
• Produce and transmit programmes relating to developmental
activities in all their facets including extension work in
agriculture, education, health and family welfare and science &
technology.
• Serve the rural, illiterate and under-privileged population,
keeping in the mind the special needs and interest of the young,
social and cultural minorities, the tribal population and those
residing in border regions, backward or remote areas.
• Promote social justice and combat exploitation, inequality and
such evils as untouchability and narrow parochial loyalties.
• Serve the rural population, minority communities, women,
children, illiterate as well as other weaker and vulnerable
sections of the society.
• Promote national integration.

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Prasar Bharati: Broadcasting Corporation of India
• The Prasar Bharati Board functions at the apex level ensuring
formulation and implementation of the policies of the organization
and fulfillment of the mandate in terms of the Prasar Bharati Act,
1990.
• The Executive Member functions as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of the Corporation.
• Prasar Bharati Marketing offices located at Mumbai, New Delhi,
Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Hyderabad,
Guwahati and Jallandhar, look after the marketing activities of both
All India Radio and Doordarshan.
• Prasar Bharati also has a unified vigilance set up at the headquarters,
headed by a Chief Vigilance Officer.
• The Director General heads the Directorate of All India Radio.

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ALL INDIA RADIO
• Director General, All India Radio is responsible for the
overall administration of the entire Akashvani network
consisting of
– 419 stations
– 608 broadcast transmitters
• 145 are MW (Medium Wave),
• 415 FM (Frequency Modulation) and
• 48 SW (Short Wave) transmitters as on 2016)

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Organisational structure of AIR
• PROGRAMME WING
The Director General is assisted by Additional Directors General (ADG’s) in
the Headquarters and in the regions. The Headquarters of the Regional
ADG’s are at Bhubaneshwar (ER-I), Kolkata (ER-II), Mumbai (WR-I,WR-II),
Lucknow (CR-I), Bhopal (CR-II), Guwahati (NER-I), Aizwal (NER-II), Chennai
(SR-I), Bangalore (SR-II), Chandigarh (NR-I), Delhi (NR-II).
• ENGINEERING WING
In respect of technical matters the Director General is assisted by the
Engineer-in-Chief and Additional Directors General(E) in the headquarters
and the Zones. In addition there is a Planning and Development Unit in the
Headquarters in respect of Development Plan Schemes of All India Radio.
For Civil Construction activities, the Director General is assisted by the Civil
Construction Wing (CCW), which is headed by a Chief Engineer. CCW also
caters to the needs of Doordarshan.

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• ADMINISTRATIVE WING
Additional Director General (Administration) and a Deputy Director
General (Administration & Finance) assists the Director General on
matters of administration and finance, while Additional Directors
General (Programme) assists DG in administration of Programme
personnel. A Director looks after the Engineering Administration of
All India Radio.
• SECURITY WING
The security set up comprises of a Deputy Director General
(Security), Assistant Director General (Security) and a Deputy
Director (Security). They handle matters of the security and safety
of AIR installations, transmitters, studios, offices etc. The Security
needs of Doordarshan are also looked after by these officers.

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• NEWS SERVICES DIVISION
The News Services Division works round the clock and
broadcasts over 647 news bulletins both in the home and
in external services. The bulletins are in Indian and Foreign
languages. It is headed by Director General News Service.
There are 44 regional News Units.
• AUDIENCE RESEARCH WING
The Director Audience Research heads the Unit of
Audience Research in the Directorate. Surveys to gauge
listening habits and programme preferences for effective
programme planning at various stations of All India Radio
are handled by field units under the supervision of the
Directorate.

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• EXTERNAL SERVICES DIVISION
The External Services Division of All India Radio broadcasts
in 27 languages – 16 foreign and 11 Indian languages. These
services are radiated for an aggregate duration of 72 hours
daily and are projected to over 100 countries.
• TRANSCRIPTION & PROGRAMME EXCHANGE SERVICE
This service looks after exchange of programmes among the
stations, building and maintenance of sound archives and
commercial release of prestigious recordings of music
maestros.

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• RESEARCH DEPARTMENT
The functions of the Research Department include Research and Development of
equipment required by AIR and Doordarshan, investigation and studies relating to AIR
and Doordarshan, development of Prototype models of R&D equipment for limited
use field trials in the network of AIR and Doordarshan.
• STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE (PROGRAMME)
The Staff Training Institute (Programme) started in 1948. It has two main branches
functioning from Kingsway Camp Delhi and Bhubaneshwar. They impart in-service
training to Programme Personnel and Administrative Staff, induction course for the
newly recruited staff and short duration refreshment courses. It also conducts
examinations for administrative staff. In addition, at present five Regional Training
Institutes at Hyderabad, Shillong, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram are
working.
The Staff Training Institute (Technical), part of the Directorate since 1985, now
functions at Kingsway Camp, Delhi. The Institute organizes Training Courses for the
engineering staff of All India Radio and Doordarshan from the level of Technician to
the Superintending Engineer.

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AIR Broadcasting System
• Three-tier Broadcasting System
• AIR has a three-tier system of broadcasting. These three levels of
programmes are the National, Regional and Local each having distinct
audiences.
• National programmes are broadcast from Delhi for relay by the Capital,
Regional and Local Radio Stations. Some of these are the National Programme
of Talks and Features in Hindi and English, the National Programmes of Drama
and Music.
• The National Channel of All India Radio located in Delhi broadcasts
programmes which are heard on Medium Wave and also on Short Wave.
Started on 18th May 1988, this channel works as a night service from 6.50 PM
to 6.10 AM the next morning. Broadcasting in Hindi, Urdu and English, the
programme composition of the channel has been designed to make it
representative of the cultural mosaic and ethos of the country.

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• The Regional Stations in different States form the middle
tier of broadcasting. They originate programmes in the
regional languages and dialects. Regional Channels are
located in the major linguistic-cultural region of every state.
• 116 Regional Channels are spread over 29 states & 6 Union
Territories including the North-Eastern Service at Shillong
that projects the vibrant cultural heritage of the North-
Eastern region of this country.
• The Regional Channels, broadcast largely on the Medium
Wave frequency, follow a composite programme pattern
comprising of music - classical, light, folk and film, News
and Current Affairs, Radio plays, features, Farm and Home
programmes, programmes on Health & Family Welfare and
programmes for Woman, Children etc.

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• Local Radio is relatively a newer concept of
broadcasting in India. Local radio stations serve small
communities, showcase local culture and broadcast
area specific programmes for the benefit of the
community. The transmission is in the FM mode. The
programming is flexible and spontaneous and the
stations function as the mouth piece of the local
community. At present there are 86 Local Stations
spread across the country.

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AIR- at a glance
Broadcasting Centres 419
Full-fledged stations 219
a) Local radio stations 87
b) Stations with studios 127
c) Community Radio 05
Relay Centres 200
AIR stations with FM 386
Vividh Bharati Centres 37
Centres for External Service 11
Recording only studio 1

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AIR at a glance
No. of Transmitters 608
Medium Wave 145
Short Wave 48
FM 415
Captive earth stations 32
Studios 222
RNU 46
AIR DTH Channel 24
Coverage Area By Area (%) By Population (%)
Medium Wave+FM 92.00 99.20
Medium wave only 90.65 98.40
FM Only 34.00 47.00

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Private FM in India
In 1995, the Govt. of India decided to open FM
stations to private players in three phases
First Phase – 1999
Second Phase – 2006
Third Phase - 2010

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PHASE 1: 1999
• Auctioning of FM bands to Private stations begins
• 21 stations commissioned across 12 cities
• The Cities include New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata,
Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Jaipur.
• 108 radio frequencies put up by the Government across
40 cities.
• Radio Mirchi by The Times Group amongst the first private
FM stations set up.
• India’s first Private FM station came up in Bangalore.
• Phase-1 faced several problems, such as rigid policies,
unviable license fee and lower advertisement flow,
resulted in only 21 stations getting off the ground across
12 cities in Phase-I.

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PHASE 2
• The government changed the fee structure to make private FM radio a more
viable business.
• The Phase-II bidding process attracted greater interest compared with the first
phase in 1999. All the 91 cities were classified in A-plus, A, B, C and D categories.
• 338 frequencies for radio stations 91 cities were on block
• The government awards 280 licenses for a total sum of $205 million
• Sun, Adlabs, HT Music, ENIL emerge as the leaders with nationwide footprint
• Government introduces new revenue-sharing model
• The private FM Radio companies bidding for these licenses won 280 out of
these 338 frequencies offered for a total sum of $205 million (Rs. 907 crore) of
one time entry fee (OTEF).
• After the all five rounds of bidding, south India’s television network Sun Group
bidding through its two companies—Kal Radio Private Limited and South Asia
FM Private Limited has managed to win total 67 frequencies. It already has four
operating stations taking the total tally to 71.

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PHASE 3
• Government was expected to take up the third phase
of expansion in 2010 however, it has been delayed.
• Govt. expected to open bid for over 700 new stations,
most of which in smaller towns.
• Third phase should see the Govt. allowing broadcasting
of news albeit it is sourced from AIR or DD.
• Govt. to allow increase in FDI from 20% to 26%.
• It is also likely to see relaxation in the 15 per cent limit
on the number of channels an entity can own in the
case of Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East.

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Educational radio in India
• In March 2000, when FM frequency licenses were auctioned,
the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had
been given a frequency for educational broadcasting in each of
the 40 cities.
• The ministry handed the task to IGNOU as it already had some
experience telecasting education on Gyan Darshan.IGNOU
signed a MOU with Prasar Bharati with an understanding that
Prasar Bharati shall provide its infrastructure and also set up
and operate the FM stations for educational broadcasts.
• IGNOU started broadcasting in Allahabad, Bangalore, Bhopal,
Coimbatore, Lucknow and Vishakhapatnam. This was to expand
to 40 other cities in two years. Gyan Vani's Educational FM
Radio Network has spread to 37 cities and towns across the
country.

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Community Radio in India
A No. of applications received 1930
B Letters of Intent (LOI) issued 449
C Letters of Intent (LOI) Cancelled 96
D Grant of Permission of Agreement (GOPA) signed 252
E Operational Community Radio Station 200
F Number of applications rejected 1130
G Applications under process 255

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Please visit:
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Contact
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www.comcomm.org
Ph- 91-9910115696

History and Growth of Radio in India

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